- Date
- July 10, 2010, 06:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Roswell, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N415NSBell OH-58A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20100710037659A
- Case key
- 76629
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from transmission wires.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
In a statement provided by the pilot, during the aerial application flight the helicopter pilot scouted the application area for transmission wires. He noted their locations and began to disperse the applicant. The pilot reported that while flying east the rising sun momentarily disoriented him, resulting in a collision with a transmission wire. The pilot performed a forced landing to an open area. An inspection of the helicopter revealed damage to the main rotor pitch change links and swash plate. The pilot confirmed that there were no malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
In a statement provided by the commercial pilot, during the aerial application flight, the pilot scouted the application area for transmission wires. He noted their locations and began to disperse the applicant. While flying east, the rising sun momentarily disoriented the pilot resulting in a collision with a transmission wire. The pilot performed a forced landing to an open area. An inspection of the helicopter revealed damage to the main rotor pitch change links and swash plate. The pilot confirmed that there were no malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N415NS
- Reported as
- Bell OH-58A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 72-21415
- Airframe hours
- 12,168
- Engine
- Allison 250, 420 lbs thrust, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- North Star Helicopters Inc, doing business as North Star Helicopter Inc
- Registered owner
- North Star Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 6, 2010 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- Roswell, NM
- Destination
- Roswell, NM
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 11, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,362 total · 841 in this make and model · 1,252 as pilot in command · 158 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- ROW, 24 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 16, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 563 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.